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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

VTC33iS«,  r:.i.    !-TjnU 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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CIHIVI/ICMH 
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n 


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10X  14X  18X  22X 


V 


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T6X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


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28X 


32X 


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la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  io  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  la 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

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film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  !e  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


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2 

3 

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RELATION  TO  THE  DIFFERENCES 


WHICH  SUBSISTXD  BKTWIXM  TKX 


LATE  COMMODORE  O.  H.  PERRY 


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AND 


CAPTAIN  J.  D.  ELLIOTT. 


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WASHINGTON: 

1821. 

BOSTON  1 
1834. 


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»     \  ' 


When  the  late  Commodore  Perry  was  about  to  sail  on  the 
cruise  which  terminated  his  valuable  life,  he  requested  Com- 
modore Decatur  to  take  charge  of  the  following  documents  to 
keep  Captain  Elliott  in  check  during  his  absence  ;  and,  if  any 
accident  happened  to  him  while  on  his  cruise,  that  they  might 
be  published,  as  the  most  effectual  means  which  would  then  be 
left,  of  guarding  his  character  against  the  baseness  and  false- 
hood of  Captain  Elliott. 

The  original  documents  of  which  these  are  copies,  had  all 
been  transmitted  to  the  Navy  Department  by  Commodore  Perry, 
some  time  before ;  but,  in  consequence  of  a  great  proportion 
of  the  necessary  witnesses  being  on  the  Mediterranean  station, 
a  court-martial  could  not  be  convened  prior  to  his  sailing. 


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The  Hon.  Benjamin  W.  Crowninshield, 

Secretary  of  the  JVavy  Department. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  lay  before  you  copies  of  a  letter 
lately  received  by  me  from  Captain  Jesse  D.  Elliott  of  the 
JNavy,  and  of  certain  certificates  enclosed  therein,  with  conies 
a^sc  of  my  letter  in  reply,  and  of  the  affidavits  of  Lieutenants 
Turner,  Stevens,  and  Champlin,  and  Dr.  Parsons. 

The  conduct  of  Captain  Elliott,  partially  presented  to  view  in 
these  papers,  and  still  more  clearly  marked  by  other  acts  of 
that  officer  withm  my  knowledge,  and  fully  susceptible  of  oroof 
imposes  on  me  the  duty  of  preferring  against  him  the  charges 
which  accompany  this  letter;  and  I  now  accordingly  do  orefer 
said  charges  against  Captain  Elliott,  and  request  that  a  court- 
martial  may  be  ordered  for  his  trial  thereupon. 

The  facts  upon  which  some  of  these  charges  are  founded 
(particularly  those  relating  to  the  behaviour  of  that  officer  dur 
ing  the  engagement  on  Lake  Erie,)  having  been  lontf  in  mv 
possession  you  wil  expect  me  to  account  for  my  not  having 
sooner  made  them  known  to  the  government,  and  for  havini 
mentioned  favorably,  m  mv  official  report  of  that  action  In 
officer  whose  conduct  had  been  so  reprehensible. 

At  the  niomenc  of  writing  that  report,  1  did  in  my  own  mind 
avoid  coming  to  any  conclusion  to  what  cause  the  conduct  of 
Captain  Elliott  was   to   be   imputed;  nor  was  I  then  full  vac- 
quainted  with  all  the  circumstances  relating  to  it.     Havin/nrP 
viously  to  the  engagement  given  all  the  orders  which  I  thought 
necessary  to  enable  every  officer  to  do  his  duty,  and  feeW 
confidence  in  them  all,  I  was,  after  it  commenced,  necessarilf 
too  much  engaged  in  the  actual  scene  before  me  to  reflect  de 
Iiberately  upon  the  cause  which  could  induce  Captain  Elliott  to 
keep  his  vessel  so  distant  both  from  me  and  the  enemy.    And 
after  the  battle  was  won,  I  felt  no   disposition  rigidly  to  ex 
amine  into  the  conduct  of  any  of  the  officers  of  the  fleet  -and 
strange  as  the  behaviour  of  Captain   Elliott  had   been    vet  I 
would  not  allow  myself  to  come  to  a  decided  opinion, 'that  an 
officei  who  had  so  handsomely  conducted  himself  on  a  former 
occasion  (as  I. then  in  common  with  the  public  had  been  led  to 
suppose  Captain  Elliott  had)  could  possibly  be  guilty  of  cowar 
dice  or  treachery.     The  subsequent  conduct  als?  of  Captain  Ell- 
iott;  the  readiness  with  which  he  undertook  the  most  minute 
services ;  the  unfortunate  situation  in  which  he  now  stood,  which 
he  lamented  to  me,  and  his  marked   endeavors  to  concHiLte 
pr6tection-were  all  we:  calculated  to  h.v.  tK.:.  °ff!T'^!S.^.^ 
still  more  than  all,  I  was  actuated  by  a  strong  desire  that'inThe 


fleet  I  then  had  the  honor  to  command,  there  should  be  no- 
thTnAut  harmony  after  the  victory  they  had  gained  and  that 
nnthis  should  transpire  which  would  bring  reproach  upon  any 
na  Jof  it,  or  convert'^into  crimination  the  praises  to  which  they 
Tere  en    led.  and  which  I  wished  them  all  to  share  and  enjoy 
ThedSti-  produced  in  my  mind  by  these  c°„s.derato„s 
™.rp  at  the  time,   fully  expressed  to  an  officer  ot  the  neei  in 
whom  I  had  gr"a    confiderlce.    If  I  omitted  to  name  Cap  ain 
FlCt  or  named  him  without  credit,  I  might  not  only  ri-.n  that 
ffi      '  hn.  Tthe  same  time,  give  occasion  to  animadversions 
"•^Tattha   oerird  I  though^t  would  be  little  to  the  honor 
:,  adv'an  age  oFt  es'elvice.  'if  my  official  report  of  that  trans- 
action   U  reverted   to,  these  embarrassments  wi  h  respect  to 
CaZin  E  liott,  under  which  I   labored  in  drawing  ,t,   wjll,  I 
Lyapidiu  x^wiv   ,  rpnort    was   very  different   trom 

ttfhad  b\e?r;pec\;dI5  the  o'fficers  of  the  fl'eet ;  but,  having 
fon.^dthe  course  which  I  thought  most  prudent  to  pursue 
with  retard  to  Captal  Elliott,  I  entreated  them  to  acquiesce 
Tn  it  and  made  every  exertion  in  my  power  to  prevent  any  fur- 
the' rernari^s  on  his  conduct-and  even  furnished  him  with  a 
favorabTe  letter  or  certificate  for  the  same  purpose,  of  which 
he  has  since  made  a  very  unjustifiable  use. 

These,  sir,  are  the  reasons  which  ■"d"f'i  "\»t  «\Vand 
nni  to  brina  on  an  inqu  ry  into  his  conduct.  1  he  cause  ana 
^roDr°.etv  of  Z  now  doing  so  will,  I  trust,  require  but  few  ex- 
KSs  "would  willingly,  for  my  own  sake  as  well  as  h^, 
fifter  the  course  I  had  pursued  for  the  purpose  of  shielding 
11  have  stm  remained  silent;  but  this,  Captain  Elliott  will 
'oT'illow  ml  to'do.  He  has  a^ted  upon  the  idea,  that  by  as- 
sailine  mv  character  he  shall  repair  his  own. 

After  he  was  left  in  the  command  on  Lake  Erie,  I  was    oon 

informed  of  The  intrigues  he  was  there  practising,  some  of  which 

'iT.,;1pH   n  these  charges.    These  I  should  not  have  regard- 

il£Sr3^^b:^^nte-^htToi5^ 

'"'^Zl-^lyZ^IZt  ruiXand  even  braving  r„e  with 
the  very  cfr"ficate   afforded  to  him  in  charity,  this  officer  at 
astaddUrs  directly  to  myself,  and  claims  -y  -^l---- 
in  thp  Brossest  misrepresentations— not  only  of  his  own   con 
duct  on^LrE^'b"'  of  conduct  and  declarations  which  he 


i:_**  u:rv.c.oU*  h»-'^"»ht  his  own  conduct 


iliiiiuii 


imputes  to  me. 

Thus  has  Captain  iiiinon  iiimsv^i*  '---0—- ,  -  ..,  ..  •^„,, 
on  Lake  Erie  a'gain  into  view  and,  by  '-"'""f^^^'^/^  ™P" 
tations  upon  mine,  has  compelled  me  to  call   tor  this  inquiry. 


He  can  make  no  complaint,  therefore,  of  delay  in  bringiiig  for- 
ward any  of  these  charges.     Those  which  regard  his*conduct 
on  Lake  Erie,  and  his  justification,  (if  he  has  any,)  are  besides 
as  perfectly  susceptible  of  proof  now  as  at  any  earlier  period. 
Whatever  the  character  of  that  behaviour  was,   it  was  witness- 
ed by  such  numbers  as  to  leave  nothing  in  it  equivocal  or  unex- 
plained.    Some  of  the  officers  who  were  with  him  may  still  be 
called  upon,  and  although  two  or  three  others  are  deceased, 
yet  so  vyere  they  when  Captain  Elliott  himself  called  for  a  Court 
of  Inquiry.     Certificates  also  were  obtained  from  those  officers 
by  Captain  Elliott  while  living,  the  originals  of  which  are  in  the 
Department,  and  it  may  be  seen  by  them  that  those  officers,  if 
present,  would  have   no  testimony  to  give  which  could  at  all 
militate  with  these  charges.     There  are  as  many  officers  de- 
ceased from  whose  testimony  Captain  Elliott  would  have  much 
more  to  fear,  than  he  would  have  to  hope  from  that  of  the  offi- 
cers above  alluded  to.     A  Court  of  Inquiry  consisting  of  three 
officers  was  once  called   at  the  request  of  Captain  ElKott,   in 
consequence  (if  I   recollect   rightly)  of  some   allusions   to  the 
conduct  of  the  Niagara,  supposed  to  be  contained  in   the  Bri- 
tish Commodore  Barclay's  report ;  and  though  that   inquiry  (of 
which  no  notice  to  attend  as  witnesses  was  given  to  any  of  the 
commanders  of  vessels  on  Lake  Erie)  could  only  be  a  very  lim- 
ited one,  and  could  involve  no  actual  trial  upon  Captain  Ell- 
iott's conduct,  yet  he  undoubtedly  had  before   that  Court   all 
such  witnesses  as  could  testify  in  his  favor,  and  the  record  of 
that  testimony  (if  any  of  those  witnesses  are   deceased)  will 
avail  him.     Captain  Elliott,  therefore,  can  suffer  nothing  from 
the  lapse  of  time,  and  it  would  indeed  be  a  strong  pretension 
in  him  to  claim  protection  from  inquiry  into  his  conduct,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  is  giving  notoriety  to  his  own  representations 
of  it,  and  that  too  to  the  prejudice  of  others. 

I  am,  sir,  fully  sensible  how  troublesome  the  frequent  exami- 
nations into  the  conduct  of  officers  has  been  to  the  government, 
and  how  disagreeable  they  must  have  become.  I  am  aware,' 
also,  that  the  public  are  justly  dissatisfied  with  them,  and  that 
reproach  has  brought  upon  the  service  by  means  of  them.  I 
hav^,  therefore,  avoided  asking  for  this  investigation  as  long 
as  I  possibly  could  do  so  with  any  justice  to  the  service,  or  to 
my  own  character. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
Sir, 
Your  most  obedient  servant, 

O.  H.  PERRY. 


I 


8 


CHARGES 

Preferred  by  Captain  Oliver  H.   Perry  against    Captain  Jesse  D. 
Elliott,  of  the  United  States  JVavy. 

FIRST   CHARGE. 

That  the  said  Captain  Elliott  having,  on  the  10th  Septem- 
ber, 1813,  during  the  engagement  on  Lake  Erie,  between  the 
American  and  British  fleets,  before  the  eyes  of  the  enemy,  con- 
ducted himself  in  his  command  of  the  United  States  brig  Nia- 
gara, in  such  a  manner  as  to  incur  the  reproaches  of  the  Amer- 
ican fleet,  and  of  the  American  army,  then  stationed  in  the 
neighborhood  under  the  command  of  Major  General  Harrison, 
and  of  the  citizens  of  the  surrounding  country ;  and  having,  in 
this  unfortunate  situation,  experienced  from  his  commanding 
officer  all  the  relief,  and  the  most  friendly  countenance  and 
support,  which,  (without  absolute  inconsistency  with  truth,)  it 
was  in  the  power  of  that  oflicer  to  afford  him,  was,  as  soon  as 
left  in  the  command  on  that  Lake,  and  after  the  departure  of 
his  said  commanding  oflicer,  g-ilty  of  conduct  unbecoming  an 
oflicer  and  a  gentleman,  by  immediately  entering  upon  and 
pursuing  a  series  of  intrigues,  designed  to  repair  his  own  re- 
putation at  the  expense  and  sacrifice  of  his  said  commanding 
officer. 

Spc  nfcation  first. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  on  or  about  the  month  of 
November,  1813,  procured  a  certificate  from  Lieutenant  Smith, 
whom  the  said  Elliott  had  attempted  to  dishonor,  by  repre- 
sent ng  him  as  guilty  of  misconduct  during  said  engagement; 
which  certificate  was  intended  to  reflect  on  the  said  Captain 
Perry  ;  insidiously  to  misrepresent  his  conduct  during  said  en- 
gagement, and  to  impeach  the  truth  of  his  oflicial  report  there- 
of. And  because,  at  or  near  the  same  time,  the  said  Captain 
Elliott  procured  a  certificate  to  be  signed  by  Lieutenant  Ed- 
wards, Purser  Magrath,  Dr.  Parsons,  and  acting  Sailing  Mas- 
ter Webster,  having  the  same  import  and  design,  and  contain- 
ing a  perverted  statement  of  the  conduct  and  language  of  the 
said  Captain  Perry,  when  he  came  on  board  of  the  Niagara  du- 
ring said  battle,  although  the  said  Elliott  well  knew  that  neither 
of  the  said  oflicers  were  then  present ;  that  the  said  Edwards 
was  on  the  forecastle,  that  the  said  Magrath  was  at  the  time 
absent  from  that  vessel,  and  the  said  doctor  and  Sailing  Master 
were  in  the  cockpit,  or  elsewhere  below,  and  could  neither  of 


(■• 


I 


I 


I 


them  have  had  any  personal  knowledge  of  the  pretended  facts 
stated,  which  they  could  only  have  taken  from  the  representa- 
tions of  the  said  Captain  EHiolt  himself;  which  certificates, 
in  such  manner  obtained,  were,  by  the  said  Captain  Elliott, 
without  notifying  the  said  Captain  Perry,  procured  to  be  trans- 
miltod  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  for  the  purpose  of  injur- 

Ihlgo^e'renr"'"'   "'"'''""'""   Perry  L  .L  opinio^  o'f 

Sjiecification  second. 

thP^mTr  ^'^T  '^'"^  ^'P*^'"  ^"'^**'  «*  Baltimore,  in  or  about 
the  month  of  January    1815,  in   presence  of  Captain  Charles 
it'dgely,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  did  falsely,  and   with  ma- 
lice, represent  the  conduct  of  his  said  commanding  officer  in 
said   engagement  on    the   10th   September,   1813;  insinuating 
that,  when  the  said  commanding  officer  came  on  board  of  the 
Niagara  during  said  battle,  he  was  in  despair,  and  ready,  to  all 
appearance,   to  surrender  the    fleet ;  but  the   said  commanding 
otticer,  finding  no   reason  to  believe  that  he,  the  said  Captain 
J       J  would  consent  to  such  a  measure,  the  fight  was  renew- 
ed, and  he,  the  said  Captain   Elliott,  cheered  and  reanimated 
his  said  commanding  officer.     And,  at  Lake  Erie,  on  or  about 
the  month  of  January,    1814,   in   the   presence  ci'  Lieutenant 
L^oncklin,  did  maKe  the  same,  or  similar,  false  imputations  upon 
the  conduct  of  his  said  commanding  officer. 

Specification  third. 

That  he,  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  during  the  months  of  Octo- 
ber and  November,  1813,  repeatedly  stated  to  Doctor  Wal- 
lace, ot  Lrie,  and  to  others,  that  his  said  commanding  officer 
had  under  the  influence  of  fear  or  despair,  thrown  overboard 
his  flag,  called  the  motto-flag,  which  had  been  prepared  by  Cap- 
tarn  Perry  to  excite  and  encourage  his  men-containing  the 
dying  words  of  Lawrence,  after  whom  this  ship  was  named, 

don  t  give  up  the  ship,"  and  the  said  flag  had  been  picked  up 
by  another  officer;  which  said  assertions,  said  Elliott  knew  to 
be  lalse,  and  that  said  flag  was  still  flying  on  board  of  the  Law- 
rence when  Captain  Perry  left  that  vessel  and  was  never  lost 
or  thrown  overboard  by  any  one. 

Specifl,caiion  fourth. 

That  the  said  Elliott,  about  the  month  of  September.  1813' 
maae,  or  procured  to  be  made  and  exhibited  to  some  of  the  of- 
hcers,  a  false  drawing  or  sketch  of  the  battle  of  the  10th  of  Sep- 


10 

tember,  1813,  in  which  drawing  he  placed  himself  in  the  Nia- 
gara, and  in  the  Somers,  in  positions  of  danf  .r  and  service  he 
never  had  occupied  during  the  engagement ;  and  represented 
other  vessels,  which  had  gallantly  fought  and  distinguished 
themselves,  in  situations  distant  from  the  scene  of  action,  and 
as  rendering  no  service. 

Specification  Jifth. 

That,  on  or  about  the  22d  October,  1813,  at  Erie,  he,  the 
said  Captain  Elliott,  in  presence  of  General  Harrison,  asserted 
that  he,  the  said  Elliott,  was  in  close  action  during  the  whole 
of  said  engagement;  that  the  said  Captain  Perry  had  done  him 
injustice  in  not  so  stating  in  his  official  report ;  and  that  said 
Perry  had  pron.ised,  before  said  official  report  was  despatched, 
to  alter  that  part  of  it  to  which  he,  the  said  Elliott,  objected, 
but  had  failed  to  do  so  ;  all  which  representations  he,  the  said 
Elliott,  knew  to  be  wholly  without  truth. 

Specification  sixth. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  at  Erie,  in  the  months  of 
November  and  December,  1813,  and,  from  that  time,  until  he 
left  the  station  at  Lake  Erie,  about  the  month  of  May  1814; 
and,  also,  at  Buffalo,  during  the  same  period,  and  particularly 
m  November  and  December,  1813,  did,  in  a  manner  calculated 
to  bring  contempt  and  reproach  upon  his  profession,  and  upon 
the  service,  continually  assail  and  beset  the  inhabitants  of 
those  towns,  and  the  vicinity,  (especially  tho.se  most  ifrnorant, 
and  easily  imposed  upon,)  with  verbal  accounts  and  descrip- 
tions of  the  engagement  of  the  10th  September  on  Lake  Erie, 
destitute  of  all  truth,  and  calculated  to  reflect  on  the  said  Cap- 
tain Perry;  and  falsely  to  assume  to  himself  a  principal  share 
m  the  victory  obtained  on  said  Lake. 

Specification  seventh. 

Because  the  said  Elliott,  at  Lake  Erie,  on  or  about  tLe  2Sth 
October,  1813,  did  descend  to  various  unmanly  acts,  in  order 
to  prevail  upofl  Lieutenant  Turner  to  give  him  such  a  certificate 
of  good  conduct,  in  the  engagement  of  the  J  0th  of  September, 
as  he  knew  could  not  be  given  with  truth  ;  and,  although  Lieu- 
tenant Turner  not  only  resisted  his  importunities,  but  showed 
a  strong  repugnance  to  giving  him  any  certificate  whatever, 
yet  the  said  Captain  E'Mott  pursued  and  urged  him  :  and,  final- 
ly, appealed  to  his  feelings,  by  saying  that  the  unfavorable 
reports  of  his  conduct,  during  .he  said  battle,  had  come  to  the 
ears  of  his  wife,  had  rendered  her  unhappy,  and  declaring,  upon 


11 

his  honor,  that  if  Lieutenant  Turner  would  give  him  a  cer- 
.ficate  he  would  make  no  other  use  of  it  than  fs  a  meTns  of  a  - 

StLF^Iiour'^'".''-  ^^^"^'^  "nworthy  means  r4d 
J-aptdm  Elhott  succeeded  m  extorting  from   said   Leutenant 

Turner  such  a  certificate  as  that  gentleman  hoped  he  S 
venture  to  give  for  such  an  occasion.  ^ 

Specification  eighth. 

vemberfsis'  TJ"^  ,^J"?"'  V^'  ""'""'^  °*"  October  and  No. 
vemDer,  IS13,  resorted  to  unbecom  ng  acts  and  nersuasion  in 
order  to  pre»a  I  on  other  officers,  then  und^  Command 
(particularly  Sailing  Masters  Champlain,  Brownell  and  M  Don! 
mem  of  fo.h  ^J""  '''l'^'^'^^  "f  good  conduct  in  'said  engage- 
orZjMh  ^«P'«?''^«;'  ™  ?'^n"-ai-y.  to  their  opinions,  that  III, 
or  most  of  them,  refused  to  give  any  such  certificate. 

Specification  ninth, 

^nfuT'^^K^  said  Captain  Elliott,  at  Erie,  on  or  about  the 
10th  ]\ovember,  1813,  m  a  manner  derogatory  to  the  character 
of  an  American  officer,  questioned  some  of  thVfiri^lh  0^.;/ 
tenJ^nrT'l'.  f  T''^'"  ^"  K^^  '^'^  ^^"^'^e,  (particularly  Lieu^ 
duett  ^hf  f;^  '''"''""  '^  ^''^  '^^  ^^'^  C^p'^i"  Ellioti's  con- 
inr^  \u  f  ^  engagement,  and  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 

from  them  a  favorable  declaration  of  his  having  been  in  close 
action  in  the  Niagara  during  said  engagement. 

Specification  tenth. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  on  the  night  of  the  19th  Sen- 
tember,  on  Lake  Erie,  (having  first,  in  a  previous  intS 
exciting  the  compassion  of  his  commanding  officer,  by  lame nT^ 
u^A  l^VT'J  ^''  ''^''^"^"''  ^"^  sustained,  and  declaring  tiSt  he 
u  f^^^-J^"S^^  opportunity  that  ever  man  had  of  distinguishing 
h.mselt,  did  address  to  thesaid  officera  note  in  the  style  offV  end"- 
ly  solicitation,  calculated  to  produce  in  his  favor,  from  said  offi- 
cer,  an  expression  of  the  friendly  disposition  and  wish  to  relieve 
he  said  Captain  Elliott,  manifested  by  that  officer  in  safd  in- 
terv.ew  j  and  did  afterwards,  in  the  Erie  Gazette  of  Is  No 
vember,  1813,  cause  a  false  copy  of  said  note  jof  hi  to  be 
published ;  by  which,  said  note  was  made  to  assume  a  differ^ 
Zr!nuv  rf  '""P^'t ;  and  did,  also,  at  the  same  time,  cause  to 
be  published,  in  sa.d  Gazette,  the  friendly  letter  or  cer  ificate  of 
his  said  commanding  officer  as  being  a  reply  thereto. 

All  which  practices,  stated  in   the  foregoing  specifications 
were  resorted  to  by  the  said  Captain  Elliott^  af?er  hi^^^l'! 


12 


! 


manding  officer  had  exerted,  to  his  utmost  personal  influence 
with  the  officers  of  the  fleet  and  others,  for  the  purpose  of 
screening  the  said  Captain  Elliott  from  the  consequences  of 
his  conduct  during  said  engagement;  and  had,  in  drawing  his 
official  report  of  that  engagement,  studiously  labored  to  devise 
some  pardonable  mode  of  representing  that  transaction,  by  which 

•J"i§i^'  ^^  ^^^®'  ^^PP^'y'  ^^  get  over  the  objectionable  part  of 
said  Elliott's  conduct  on  that  day,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  name 
nim  with  credit  and  honor. 

Specification  eleventh.  , 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott  did,  on  the  I4th  May,  1818, 
address  to  the  said  Captain  Perry  a  letter,  enclosing  therein, 
as  the  cause  of  said  letter,  copies  of  certain  certificates,  stat- 
ing expressions,  alleged  to  have  been  made  use  of  by  Captain 
Terry  towards  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  without  calling  upon  the 
said  Captain  Perry  to  avow,  deny,  or  explain,  or  justify  said  ex- 
pressions, descending  to  the  most  unmanly  and  vulgar  abuse.  In 
which  said  letter,  also,  the  said  Captain  Perry  is  represented 
wholly  without  truth,  as  having  declared  to  Capt.  Elliott,  at  Erie, 
that,  if  he  would  not  dwell  on  the  action,  he,  the  said  Perry, 
would  write  a  private  letter  to  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  and  express  his  surprise  that  the  country  did  not  ^ive 
him,  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  half  the  honor  of  the  victory,  and 
m  the  same  letter,  the  said  Exiiott  again  misrepresented  the 
style  and  import  of  his  said  note,  mentioned  in  the  last  specifi- 
cation, giving  It  the  tone  of  a  categorical  demand  upon  the  said 
Captain  Perry,  to  contradict  the  reports  which  were  put  in  cir- 
culation prejudicial  to  the  character  of  the  said  Captain  Elliott, 
as  if  he,  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  would  insinuate  that  at  the 
time  of  writing  of  the  said  note  he  considered  said  reports  to 
have  been  put  in  circulation  by  the  said  Capt.  Perry,  and  that  he 
accordingly  called  upon  him,  in  said  note,  to  contradict  them. 

CHARGE    SECOND. 

Conduct  unbecoming  an  officer,  and  manifesting  disregard  of 
the  honor  of  the  American  flag. 

Specification  Jirst. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  about  the  1st  of  October, 
IblJ,  on  board  the  gunboat  Scorpion,  commanded  by  Sailinc^ 
Master  Champlain,  then  on  Lake  St.  Clair,  in  the  pre  sen  c? 
ot  said  Champlam,  intemperately  and  unjustly  abused  the  said 
t^aptam  t^erry,  his  said  commanding  officer  on  lake  Erie,  and 
expressly  declared  that  he  had  had  it  in  his  power  to  destroy 


s 
t 
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a 
h 
t 

g 


w 


tl 


..  t 


13 

the  fleet,  and  the  said  Perry  with  it,  and  he  only  regretted  that 

cers  and"l''nTf  ^hi  r'  '""''"  '''"'  declared,  ff  the  offi! 
cers  and  men  of  the  Lawrence  were  not  entitled  to  nri/P  mn 

ney,  on  account  of  the  vessels  of  ,he  enemy  captured  o^  iTke" 

Erie,  but  that  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  other  vessels  "f  the 

Amencan  fleet  were  entitled  to  prize  money  for  the  recamure 

alin%Xffar-i„  "l"**  beca„.se\he  said  Captain  ElSdd 
again,  at  iJuttalo,  in  November  and  Decemhpr    iRiq    r^.,^!l• 

fl^r:;  tke^^^rle'^f  •  T  '"■  '/j^^^^^^  thl'lCr  S 
commander         ""'  '"«'"'"  '*"'"  ">«  '^'^  Captain  Perry  its 

Specification  second. 

aefh^OcTobeflSlf  fT''",  ^'""^i''  '"^"«'  ""  »r  about  the 
of  .hJ.  1  '  L  ;  declared,  m  the  presence  of  Dr.  Wallacp 
of  that  place,  that  it  would  be  a  serious  question  be  ween  the 

C?.,??„  p"™'""  ^""""'"S  »''«  American \nd  British)  whether 
Captam  Perry  was  not  to  be  considered  as  a  prisoner  of  war! 

Specification  third. 

isff  r'r  •  ""^  '1'''  S?Pi?i"  E'"""'  in  the  "onth  of  November 
1813,  at  Erie  and  at  Bufllilo,  asserted  publicly  th-iiihl  \Z  ■' 
can  flag,  for  the  first  ti^e 'since  the  Cc  a tjion  of  w^  had" 
been  disgraced  on  board  the  Lawrence  rmm>nin„  .h. ,  I  ^■ 
grace  had  been  incurred  by  tharvessel  i^the  f„„  "°\'^'" 
10th  September,  on  lake  Erie.)  '  "  """  ^"g^ge^ent  on 

Specification  fourth. 

an^NoTmber  '1l^f'Z\  "h^™'  '"  *'"<'  '""""'^  "'  ^^'"ber 
aiiu  i\ovemDer,  ibij,  declared  in  presence  of  Dr   Walln^A  r.f 

that  place   and  others,,  that  the  Arierican  fleet  had  ganed  no 
honor  m  the  engagement  on  the  10th  September  on  ifrErfe 

have t  ntkeit  fiT"""'^  "!  '"''t'J'''  ^"''^''  "-""ight 
iidve  oeen  taken  in  htteen  minutes  :  a  thoush  he  *ho  ^nSrl  rZr^ 

tain  Elliott,  well  know  that  the  for'ce  of  thfeneniy  in   hafeT 
gagement,  was  superior  to  that  of  the  American  £. 

CHARGE    THIRD. 

waTJ^slnaSr^'^^^^^^^     Elliott  was  guilty  of  oppression  to- 
wards  certain  ofiixers  and  men  under  his  command  on  Lake  Erie. 

Specification  first. 
the^mom'h  of't'"'''  '^"fo"'"  ^"'""'  ""  ^''''^  ^"''  <>"  »'  "bout 

me  montn  Or    .Inniiai-ir    1Q%A     ^..*    T  :_.,.! .     ^       ...  . 

,.,„„j,  ,^.^-j,,  put  i^icuienani  conKlin  under  ar- 


14 


rest,  without  any  other  cause  than  that  the  said  Lieutenant 
Concklin  went  out  of  said  Captain  Elliott's  cabin,  declaring  to 
him  that  he  would  not  remain  there  to  hear  such  reflections 
upon  the  character  of  Captain  Perry,  as  were  then  made  by 
the  said  Captain  Elliott,  which  reflections  are  slated  in  the  se- 
cond preceding  specification,  first  charge. 

Specification  second. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott  violently  beat  with  a  trum- 
pet one  of  the  men  on  board  of  the  gunboat  Somers,  for  laugh- 
ing when  he  perceived,  or  supposed,  the  said  Captain  Elliott  to 
dodge  a  chain-shot,  which  happened  to  pass  over  that  vessel, 
near  to  Captain  Elliott,  during  the  engagement  of  10th  Septem- 
ber, 1813.  ^ 

Specification  third. 

Because  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  during  the  months  of  No- 
vetnber  and  December,  1813,  while  left  in  command  on  Lake 
Erie,  took  every  opportunity  of  manifesting  an  unjust  hostility 
towards  the  surviving  officers  and  men  of  the  Lawrence,  and 
particularly  towards  such  officers  of  the  fleet  as  had  declined 
givmg  him  certificates  of  good  conduct;  on  all  occasions  select- 
ing such  officers  and  men  for  the  most  severe  duties,  and  pla- 
cing them  in  the  most  uncomfortable  situations ;  in  such  man- 
ner as  to  excite  the  observation  of  the  whole  fleet. 

CHARGE    FOURTH. 

That  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  on  the  10th  September,  1813, 
being  then  a  Master  Commander  in  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States,  and  commanding  the  United  States  brig  Niagara,  one 
of  the  American  squadron  on  Lake  Erie,  did  not  use  his  utmost 
exertion  to  carry  into  execution  the  orders  of  his  commanding 
officer  to  join  in  the  battle  on  that  day  between  the  American 
and  British  fleets. 

Specification  of  the  fourth  charge. 

Because  the  American  squadron  having  sailed,  in  search  of 
the  enemy,  a  few  days  previous,  the  following  orders  and  in- 
structions were  issued  by  the  commanding  officer,  viz.  Jst— 
An  order  directing  in  what  manner  the  line  of  battle  should  be 
formed  ;  the  several  vessels  to  keep  within  half  cable's  length 
ot  each  other,  and  enjoining  it  upon  the  commanders  to  p^re- 
serve  their  stations  in  the  line,  and,  in  all  cases  to  keen  as  n^ar 


■yL* 


16 

to  the  commanding  officer's  vessel,  the  Lawrence,  as  possible  • 
.2d-An  order  of  attack ;  ,n   which  order  the  Lawrence   was 
designated  to  attajk  the  enemy's  new  ship,  (afterwards  nJ.7 
ta.ned  to  have  been  named  .hei)e,roit,)  and  the  iTagra    com-' 
manded  by  the  sa.d  Captain  Elliott,  d'esignated  to  auaik  the 
enemy's  ship    '  Queen  Charlotte ;"  which   orders   were  then 
communicated  to  all  the  commanders,  including  the  said  Onl 
tain  Elliott  who,  for  that  purpose,  and  to  receivf  furthe  orde« 
and  instructions,  were,  by  signal,  called  together  by  the  said  com! 
manding  officer,  and  a  1  the  said  commanders,  including  he  saTd 
Captain  Ehott,  were  then,  by  the  said  commanding  officer  ex- 
pressly further  instructed,  that  "if,  in   the  expected    en ^'a™. 
ment,  they  laid  their  vessels  close   along  side  of  tho4  ol" The 
enemy,  they  could  not  be  out  of  their  way."     3d-Wh!n  co!, 
ing  into   action,  an  order  was  passed,  by  trumpet,  for  the  ves- 
sels astern  to  close  up  in  the  line;  and,  after^he  enemy  had 
fn„?ffi"'"'r''"."K^' «'  ''Snal  was  made,  by  the  said  coZand- 
ing  officer,  for  the  fleet  to  come  into  action,  each  vessel  against 
her  opponent,  as  before  designated  ;  yet  did  he,  the  said  Can 
tarn  Llhott,  notwithstanding  said  orders,  and  in  violation  there" 
,  of  keep  his  said  brig,  the  Niagara,  nearly  a  mile's  distance 
astern  of  the    Lawrence,  and   a  still  great  distance   from  the 

htt  °ih     'rr. '  ^T'  **"'"«  •"»*«  than  two  honrsTf  he 
battle,  al  hough  but  a  few  moments  before  its  commencement 
he  was  within  hail  of  the  Lawrence,  and  might  wKheaseha"' 
fo  lowed  that  vessel  into  close  action,  instead  of  which  he   il^ 
said  Captain  Elliott,  failed  to  come  into  close  action  and  to  e^! 
gage  the  enemy's  ship  the  Queen  Charlotte,  as  he  was  boa„d 
to  do  by  said  order  and  by  the  example  of  the  command  n' 
officer  s  vessel,  and  d,d  remain,  during  the  whole  period  be"- 
foro  tnentioned,  at  such  a  distance  from  the  enemy  as  °o  ren 
der  all  the  guns  o    the  Niagara  useless,  except  two^ong  ones" 
which,  consequently,  were  the  only  guns  fired  from  tha!  ve"li 
during  all  the  sajd  lime,  and  by  which,  at  so  great  a  distance  hn 
little    ,f  any,  effi^ct  upon   the  enemy  could  be  produced -of 
which  misconduc,  and  breach  of  orders  the  said  Captain  Elliou 
was  guilty,  without  any   necessity,  cause,  or  excuse    his    aid 
vessel  being  in  all  respects,  in  she,  foree,'equipmen,  ^nd  crew 
and  sailing,  fully  equal  to  the  Lawrence  and  the  ship  he  wTs 
ordered   to  engage  ;    and,  being   also  to  the   windward  of  The 
enemy,   said  vessel   could  not  easily  have  been   kept  out  of 
close  action,  unless  the  said  Captain  Elliott  had,  for  that  Lr- 
pose,  kept,  as  he  did  her  main  topsail  aback  and  her  jib  bfall 
edup;  by  doing  which,  and   by  keeping  the  wind    instead  of 
bearing  down   upon  the  enemy,  he,  thf  said  Captain  Ellfott 
finally  carried  his  said  vessel  on  the  outside  of  the  Law'en"' 
and  Caleaonia,  placing  those  vessels  between  him  and  the  ene- 


i 


le 

my,  and  was,  when  his  said  commanding  officer  went  on  board 
that  vessel,  keeping  her  on  a  course  by  the  wind,  which  would, 
in  a  few  minutes,  have  carried  said  vessel  £ntirely  out  of  the 
action,  to  prevent  which,  and  in  order  to  bring  the  said  vessel 
into  close  action  with  the  enemy,  the  said  commanding  officer 
was  under  the  necessity  of  heavin^^  to  and  immediately  wearing 
said  vessel  and  altering  her  course  at  least  eight  points. 

CHARGE    FIFTH. 

That  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  on  the  10th  September,  1813, 
being  then  commander  of  the  United  States  brig  Niagara,  one 
of  the  American  squadron  on  lake  Erie,  through  cowardice, 
negligence,  or  disaffection,  did  not,  in  the  action  on  said  lake 
on  that  day  between  the  American  and  British  fleets,  do  his  ut- 
most to  take  or  destroy  the  vessel  of  the  enemy  which  it  was 
his  duty  to  encounter. 

Specification. 

(Same  as  to  charge  fourth.) 

CHARGE    SIXTH. 

That  the  said  Captain  Elliott,  in  said  engagement  on  lake 
Erie,  on  the  said  10th  of  September,  through  cowardice,  negli- 
gence, or  disaffection,  did  not  do  his  utmost  endeavor  to  afford 
relief  to  the  United  States  brig  Lawrence. 

Speci^fication. 

(Same  as  to  charges  4th  and  5th,  with  the  following  addition  :) 

In  consequence  of  which  conduct  of  the  said  Captain  Elliott, 
the  enemy's  said  ship  the  Queen  Charlotte,  was  enabled  to 
unite  her  force  with  that  of  the  Detroit  against  the  Lo'.vrence ; 
instead  of  preventing  which,  or  affording  any  assistance  to  said 
brig  Lawrence,  the  said  Captain  Elliott  left  that  vessel,  her  of- 
ficers and  crew,  (eighty-three  of  whom  were  killed  or  wound- 
ed,) a  sacrifice  to  the  enemy,  although  his,  the  said  Captain  El- 
liott's vessel,  remained  perfectly  uninjured,  with  not  more  than 
one  or  two  of  his  men  (if  any)  wounded,  while  Captain  Elliott 
continued  on  board  of  her. 

August  8,  1818.  O.  H.  PERRY. 


17 

Copy  of  Lieutenant  Turner's  affidavit. 

Tn  the  battle  of  the  10th  Seoternhpr  isiq  «„  t  »i     t?  •     i 

Y  and  the  Bm.sh  squadron  under  Commodore  Barely  the  aT 

DetroU  vtry    o^n  ^'jS.  f''l?:'-«"<=«  \«<=ordingly  closed  with  the 

by  keepmg  her  maintop  sail  aback  Snd  her  jib  braild  up'   sSe 
kept  at  00  great  a  distance  from  tha  enemy  to  do  hin^  anv  m« 
terial  injury,  and  sustained  scarcely  any  hersdf  untiHhe  cZ" 

Tss^nVh""''  rr"""  "^  ">«''  "''°  '"'med  ati  y  bori  up  aSd 

sKem"ndt,  .VT"^''  ""^',^'"^8  ''°"'  ^^  broadside?  wTth 
sucn  tremendous  effect,  as  compelled  him  instantly  to  surrender 
It  was  the  general  opinion  of  the  American  officer  and  ei 
pressed  with  much  indignation,  that  Captain  ElHott  dTd  no,  L 

arhe"'ii  ]"  *'',\^'?"'«!  «^  «  g^ll»t  and  faS^hfd  offic     f  fnaslch 
as  he  did  not  bring  his  vessel,  as  soon  as  he  might  have   done 

hlVi^f  'r""""'  l"'"^  circumstance  only,  made  the  resuh  of 

Captain  Ell":,,?  '^"'^  "'"^  •'""'"'■"'-     Soon  after  the  vctory, 
captain  Elliott  s  conduct  was  spoken  of,  as  well  in  Genera 

censor    Ca7,»"i."  "'««-'--'"•  g^ea't  disapplobatron  a"d 

rufnoSf  to  Can,»1n   Pii"  ..  '""^  '^'^°'^  "'^'^  '"  circulation  so 
ruinous  to  Captain   Elliot's  reputation— wished  thev  m\a\M  ho 

synced    and  desired  me  to  gS  on  shore  to  the  cWp, Tnd  do 

accord  n^W^il'  "'".''  P'°P"«'y.  '»  counteract  them-lSfd  so 
accordingly  the  next  morning.    He  said  the  Ameriran  fla„  h.A 

gained  much  honor  that  daf,  and  iie  w  shed  al    his  compan- 
C°  n,»i    p""'"  '^f""'"  '"  "'"'  him.    Several  weeks  afteMhis 
Captain  Perry  told  me  that  Captain  Elliott  wished  him  to  alte; 
Uiat  part  of  his  official  report  w*hich  stated  tha  the  Niagara  did 
not,  until  a  late  period  of  the  engagement,  get  into  closf  action 

cTrTelttsltZdt '"■''  '  "'rs'?  """  P"'  of  his  r":" 
-rds,  whowas  presentVand  myldTberglhT^rXtet) 


18 

I  answered,  I  thought  that  part  of  his  official  report  was  entire- 
ly correct,  to  which  Lieutenant  Edwards  assented. 

Some  time  jiftcr,  Captain  Perry  left  the  lake,  and  when  the 
squadron  was  under  Captain  Elliott's  command,  he  applied  to 
me  and  repeatedly  urged  me  to  give  him  a  certificate  respecting 
his  conduct  in  the  battle.  He  said  that  his  only  reason  for 
wishing  one,  was  to  have  it  in  his  power  to  calm  his  wife's  un- 
easiness, who  had  heard  that  his  conduct  had  been  questioned  ; 
and  declared  to  me,  upon  his  honor,  that  he  would  make  no 
other  use  of  it  than  as  a  means  of  relieving  her  unhappiness. — 
Thus  delicately  and  unpleasantly  situated,  I  wrote  such  a  cer- 
tificate as  I  thought  I  might,  for  such  an  occasion,  venture  to 
give  Captain  Elliott.  DAN.  TURNER. 

Sworn  to  before, 
HOLMES  WEAVER,  Jus.  Peace. 


M 


Copy  of  Dr.  Parson's  Affidavit. 

In  the  action  of  the  10th  September,  1813,  on  lake  Erie,  I 
was  stationed  in  the  wardroom  of  the  Lawrence,  to  act  as  sur- 
geon. I  well  recollect,  that  the  wounded,  from  the  first  of  their 
coming  down,  complained  that  the  Niagara  (commanded  by 
Captain  Elliott,)  did  not  come  up  to  her  station  and  close  with 
the  Queen  Charlotte,  although  he  had  been  ordered  by  signal ; 
and  this  complaint  was  frequently  repeated  by  them)  till  the 
Lawrence  struck,  and  repeatedly  by  Lieutenants  Brooks,  Yar- 
nal  and  Claxton.  It  was  at  the  same  time  observed  that  the 
Caledonia  was  in  close  action,  while  the  Niagara,  a  faster  sail- 
er, was  quite  out  of  the  reach  of  the  enemy.  After  the  action 
closed,  the  censures  upon  Captain  Elliott's  conduct  were  so  ge- 
neral and  severe,  not  only  among  the  Lawrence's  officers,  but 
those  of  the  small  vessels,  that  in  writing  to  my  friends,  thi  day 
following,  I  did  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  Captain  Elliott  had  dis- 
graced himself  in  the  action  ;  and  the  same  sentiment  was  ex- 
pressed in  the  letters  of  every  officer  on  board  who  was  able  to 
write.  These  letters  were  on  the  point  of  being  sent,  when 
Mr.  Hambleton,  who  had  just  had  a  private  interview  with 
Commodore  Perry,  told  us  the  Commodore  wished  us  to  be  si- 
lent on  Captain  Elliot's  conduct;  that  whatever  might  have 
been  the  appearances  during  the  action,  he  was  then  unwilling, 
after  its  happy  result,  to  destroy  an  officer  of  his  rank ;  and  that 
honor  enough  had  been  gained  by  the  action,  to  permit  of  its 
being  shared  by  every  one  engaged  in  it. 

This  request  of  Commodore  Perry  was  complied  with,  as  far 
as  was  practicable  j  one  of  Mr.  Yarnall's  letters,  however,  had 


19 

slipt  from  his  hands  before  this  message  was  received— and  was 
published. 

The  second  day  after  the  action,  I  attended  the  wounded  of 
the  Niagara,  (the  surgeon  of  that  vessel  having  been  sick,)  and 
out  of  twenty  cases,  not  more  than  one  or  two,  said  they  were 
wounded  vyhile  Captain  Elliott  was  on  board  the  ship.  On 
board  all  the  small  vessels  which  Captain  Elliott  brought  up 
towards  the  close  of  the  action,  the  number  of  killed  and 
wounded  did  not  exceed  two  or  three.  The  number  of  killed 
and  wounded  on  board  the  Lawrence,  before  she  struck,  was 
eighty-three.  ' 

In  conversation  with  two  officers  6f  the  Queen  Charlotte,  a 
short  time  after  the  action,  I  asked  them  why  the  Queen  di- 
rected her  fire  wholly  upon  the  LBwrence  instead  of  the  Nia- 
gara f  He  replied,  "because  the  Niagara  was  so  far  off  w- 
could  not  injure  her." 

Prom  all  these  facts,  and  others,  the  officers  of  the  Lawrence 
and  some  of  the  other  vessels,  felt  exceedingly  disappointed 
and  displeased  with  the  official  report  of  Commodore  Perry,  on 
account  of  the  honorable  mention  there  made  of  Captain  'El- 
liott. fVe  have,  nevertheless,  been  willing  to  believe  that  the 
error  proceeded  from  the  best  motives. 

Midshipman  Lenox,  who  commanded  one  of  the  small  ves- 
sels, has  repeatedly  told  me  that  Captain  Elliott  had  said,  in  his 
presence  m  Buffalo,  that  he  regretted  he  did  not  sacrifice  the 
fleet,  when  it  was  in  his  power,  and  Captain  Perry  with  it 

«         ^    ^  ,  USHER  PARSONS. 

bworn  to  before  me, 

HOLMES  WEAVER,  Just.  Peace. 


Letter  from  Captain  Elliott,  to  Captain  Perry,  [no  date  affixed.'] 

Sir  :  Communications  which  have  recently  been  made  me, 
and  exact  copies  of  which  I  herewith  enclose  you,  render  it 
necessary  that  I  should  hear  from  you  immediately.  As  soon 
as  I  heard  of  your  late  visit  to  Washington,  I  lost  no  time  in 
hurrying  off  from  this  place,  with  a  hope  that  we  should  meet 
and  settle  those  differences  which  have  so  long  existed;  your 
sudden,  and  to  me  unexpected,  departure  from  that  city,  pre- 
vented the  contemplated  meeting ;  and  mv  orders  to  sit  on  a 
Court  Martial,  in  Baltimore  which  detained  me  from  this  *^]ace 
longer  than  I  at  first  expected,  has  induced  me  to  returrT'to 
Virginia,  and  instead  of  the  personal  interview,  which  had  alone 


20 


r 


carried  me  from  home,  and  which  I  had  so  anxiously  hoped  for 
would  take  place,  now  compels  me  to  address  you  at  a  moment 
when  I  might  seem  if  prompted  by  the  late  public  investigation 
of  your  Mediterranean  command. 

The  wrongs  which  I  have  suffered  are  many ;  und  after  tak- 
ing a  retrospect  of  all  the  transactions  connected  with  our  af- 
fairs which  have  been  made  public,  1  am  at  a  loss  to  know  how 
it  was  possible  you  could  have  made  such  representations  as 
are  contained  in  the  certificates  herewith  enclosed.  Immedi- 
ately after  the  action  on  Lake  Erie,  you  must  recollect,  that 
reports  prejudicial  to  my  character  were  put  in  circulation ; 
when  I  called  on  you  for  a  written  contradiction  of  them,  (your 
answer,  I  presume,  is  in  your  possession)  you  say  in  your  letter, 
"  You  have  no  fault  to  find  with  myself,  oflScers,  and  crew- 
compliment  me  by  saying,  you  are  indebted  in  a  great  measure 
for  the  victory,  my  bringing  the  small  vessels  into  close  action," 
and  conclude,  with  a  positive  assertion,  that  the  Niagara  would, 
from  her  superior  order,  have  taken  the  Queen  Charlotte  in 
twenty  minutes,  ha  she  not  made  sail  and  engaged  the  Law- 
rence. 

What,  sir,  has  since  occurred,  to  draw  from  you  such  base, 
false,  and  malicious  reports,  as  contained  in  the  certificates  en- 
closed ?  I  will  conclude  my  remarks  with  one  or  two  observa- 
tions, and  permit  you  to  draw  such  inferences  as  your  feelings 
of  honor  may  dictate  ;  hoping,  that  you  will  never  again  have 
occasion,  either  in  the  society  of  the  ladies,  or  that  of  young 
navy  officers,  to  make  use  of  expressions  of  a  similar  nature, 
and  which,  too,  intended  to  my  injury.  Pray  sir,  has  your  me- 
mory been  so  treacherous,  as  to  fail  recollecting  an  interview 
at  Erie,  and  that  you  then  said,  "  if  I  would  not  dwell  on  the 
action,  that  yor>  would  write  a  private  letter  to  the  Hon.  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy,  and  express  your  surprise  that  the  country 
did  not  give  me  half  the  honor  in  the  victory  ?" 

With  proper  respect, 

J.D.ELLIOTT 
Capt.  O.  H.  Perry,  &c. 


-  ^ 


Copies  of  ik'i  Certificates  alluded  to  in  the  foregoing  Letter. 

Norfolk,  Feb.  2,  1818. 
bm :  In  conversation  with  some  of  the  officers  of  the  U.  S. 
ship    Washington,    your  name  was   mentioned,  in   connexion 
with  the  action  ^n  LakeErie,  when  Lieutenant  W.  B.  Shubrick 


sfirvpr 


that  C.str\iain  P 
I 


orrir    ho.. 

-     Z  1  J       IAU.V& 


|-«Q<4        rMlKll/»l»r     nrj.yj 


^atjiix^ij   saivi   }  wui   icpuiaiiuii 


was  in  his  hands,  and  that  the  least  you  and  your  friends  can  say 
on  the  subject  of  that  action  the  better  for  you. 


I 

f 

c 

i 

I 
I 
r 

t 

1 


21 

I  at  the  same  time  said  I  was  your  friend,  and  as  soon  as  an 
opportunity  presented,  would  make  known  to  you  the  assertion 
which  is  now  communicated. 


To  Capt.  Jesse  D.  Elliott. 


W.  H.  BRECKENRIDGE. 


I  certify  that  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original,  which 
1  have  seen  m  the  possession  of  Captain  Elliott. 
May  1, 1818.  GEORGE  T.  KENNON. 

„        V      u     •  Washington,  Feb.  27,  1818. 

biR  :  You  having  called  on  me  for  some  assertions  made  by 
Captain  Perry,  I  can  only  state,  thai  some  time  in  the  year  1813 
I  saw  Commodore  Perry  in  New  York,  and  mentioned  I  had 
received  a  letter  from  Captain  Elliott  respecting  the  eneaffe- 
ment  on  Lake  Erie.  r        &  &  g 

Commodore  Perry  replied,  that  Captain  Elliott  had  better 
be  quiet  on  that  subject ;  that  he  had  understood  other  letters 
had  been  written  by  him  to  his  friends. 

The  above  conversation  between  Commodore  Perry  and  my- 
self has  never  been  directly  or.  indirectly  mentioned  by  me  to 
Captain  Elliott,  until  called  upon  by  him  here. 

JOHN  HALL. 

I  certify  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original,  which  I  have 
seen  m  the  hands  of  Captain  Elliott. 

G.  T.  KENNON. 
Hospital  Surgeorif  Gosport. 


>  *■ 


To  the  Post  Master,  Erie  Station,  JSTew  York,  for  Capt.  Elliott. 

[Captain  Elliott's  particular  station  not  being  known  at  this  time,  you  are  requested  to 
forward  the  encfosed  to  him  in  such  mannir  as  it  will  be  sure  to  'reLh  him,  anlTyou  wiU 
oDiige  his  friend,  j^  q  J^  RUSSELL. 

It  is  with  the  deepest  regret  that  the  friends  of  merit  observe 
how  much  you  have  been  overlooked  in  the  late  engagement 
on  Lake  Erie.  You  are  bound  in  justice  to  yourself,  to  lay  be- 
fore your  country  and  the  world  your  own  share  of  the  glory 
of  that  day.  You  may  rest  assured  that  Perry  is  endeavor- 
mg  to  rob  you  of  all.  I  have  a  correspondent  who  resides  in 
Newport,  and  who  heard  Perry  say,  in  a  private  circle,  when 
he  was  representing  the  action,  that  when  he  went  on  board 
the  Niagara,  he  found  you  pale  and  trembling  like  an  aspin 
leaf,  and  all  your  officers,  and  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  could 


t 


22 


get  you  to  obey  his  commands.  Although  I  have  not  the  ho- 
nor of  your  acquaintance,  I  feel  bound,  by  my  attachment  to 
worth  and  gallantry,  to  give  you  th;3  information,  trusting  to 
your  honor  as  a  gentleman  and  officer  not  to  betray  me  ;  for 
my  friends  would  highly  condemn  a  stop  of  the  kind,  and  Perry, 
tX>o,  knovys  my  hand  writing.  But  I  feel  confident  you  will  con- 
fine this  information  to  your  own  breast ;  it  is  only  for  your  ben- 
efit that  I  give  it. 

It  would  afford  me  much  pleasure  to  know  that  you  have  re- 
ceived this  in  safety.  If  you  wish  to  acknowledge  the  receipt, 
direct  to  "  Miss  Mary  G.  R.  Russell,  Petersburg,  Virginia." 


.|!M 


m 


Captain  Ferrfs  reply  to  Captain  Elliott. 

Newport, '(Rhode  Island,)  June  18, 1818. 

Sir  :  The  letter  which  I  have  lately  received  from  you  has 
evidently  been  written  for  the  purpose  of  being  exhibited  to  your 
friends,  and  in  the  hope  that,  passing  without  reply,  it  might 
gain  credit  among  those  upon  whom  you  have  been  long  in  the 
habit  of  practising  similar  impositions.  You  had  much  reason, 
sir,  to  indulge  in  such  a  hope. 

It  is  humiliating  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  replying  to  any 
letters  written  by  a  person  who  so  little  knows  what  becomes 
a  gentleman.     I  must  not,  however,  permit  you  to  derive  from 
my  silence  any  countenance  to  the  gross  falsehoods  c  ontained 
in  your  letter,  and  which  it  would  be  an  affectation  of  decorum 
to  call  by  any  other  name  j  such,  particularly,  is  the  absMtd  de- 
claration you  impute  to  me  in  the  close  of  it,  and  the  perverted 
account  you  give  of  the  manner  in  which  I  was  once  induced  to 
write  a  letter  in  your  favor.     How  imprudent,  as  well  as  base, 
it  is  in  you,  by  such  misrepresentations,  to  reduce  me  to  the' 
necessity  of  reminding  you  of  the  abject  condition  in  which  I 
had  previously  found  you,  and  by  which  I  was  moved  to  afford 
you  all  the  countenance  in  my  power ;  sick  (or   pretending  to 
be  sick)  in  bed,   in  consequence  of  distress  of  mind,  declaring 
that  you  had  missed  the  fairest  opportunity  of  distinguishing 
yourself  that  ever  man  had,  and  lamenting  so  piteously  the  loss 
of  your  reputation,  that  I  was  prompted  to  make  almost  any 
effort  to  relieve  you  from  the  shame  which  seemed  to  over- 
whelm you.     This,  you  very  well   know,  was  the  origin  of  the 
certificate  I  then  granted  you  •  and  that  your  letter  to  me,  (of 
which  you   once   furnished   a  false  copy  for  publication,  and 

which     VfUl     now   rpnrpcpnt  ao    mablnn'  "     ^t^^^^J  .. \    -, 

J   '   ",     ---  --f "    "•■     «"«««ilg    «     «c;;cu/tu    Upuil    liJC,)     VVilSj 

merely  an  introduction  to  mine.     Another  motive  I  had  which 
you  could  not  appreciate,  but  which  I  urged  with  success  on 


f 


>  f 


1^ 


I  t, 


23 

the  other  officers  :  it  resulted  from  a  strong,  and  I  then  hoped 
pardonable,  desire  that  the  public  eye  might  only  rest  upon 
the  gallant  conduct  of  the  fleet,  and  not  be  att.actcd  to  its  blem- 
ishes, as  I  feared  it  would  be  by  the  irritation  excited  by  yonr 
conduct  among  the  officers  and  men,  most  of  whom,  I  hoped 

.hL7T?t  '"^^^'^"1  ^^l  t«  g'-atify  their  ambition,  even 
snould  that  honor  be  shared  by  some  one  who  might  less  de- 

The  expressions  stated  in  your  two  certificates  to  have  bee  i 
made  use  of  by  me,  when  speaking  of  your  unmanly  conduct, 
were  probaliy  the  most  lenient  I  have  for  a  long  time  employ! 
ed  when  called  upon  to  express  my  opinion  of  you  r  and,  thor- 
oughly known,  as  you  must  be  conscious  your  character  is  to 
me,  It  was  quite  needless  for  you  to  have  procured  certificates 
•       a1  ^^"'^'"P'  with  which  I  have  spoken  of  you.     You  might 
readily,  however,  have  furnished  much  more  ample  ones,  and 
01  a  much  earlier  date,  than  those  it  has  suited  you  to  produce: 
tor  you  allowed  but  little  time  to  elapse,  after  receiving  the  ben- 
ents  ot  my  letter,   before  your  falsehoods  and  intrigues  arainst 
me  made  me  fully  sensible  of  the  error  I  had  committed  m  en- 
deavoring to  prop  so  unprincipled  a  character. 

If  It  be  really  true  that   you   hurried   to   Washington  for  the 
purpose  of  inviting  me   to  a  meeting,  it  is  indeed  unfortunate 
that  intentions  for  which  you  give  yourself  so   great  credit  have 
evaporated  in  a  pitiful  letter,  whicli  none  but  a  base  and  vuloar 
mind  could   have  dictated.     The   reputation   you  have  lost  is 
not  to  be  recovered  by  such  artifices;  it  was  tarnished  by  your 
own  behaviour  on  Lake  Erie,  and  has  constantly  been  rendered 
more  desperate    by  your  subsequent  lolly  and  habitual   false- 
hoods.    You  cannot  wonder  at  the  loss  :  that  reputation  which 
has  neither  honor  nor  truth,  nor  courage  for  its  basis,  must  ever 
be  ot  short  duration.     Mean  and  despicable  as  you  have  proved 
yourselt  to  be,  I  shall  never  cease  to  criminate  myself  for  having 
deviated  from  the  path  of  strict  propriety,  for  the  sake  of  screen- 
ing you  from   public  contempt  and    indignation.     For  this  of- 
lence  to  the  comm-jnity  I.  will  atone,  in  due  time,  by  a  full  dis- 
closure of  your  disgraceful  conduct.     But  that  you,  of  all  men, 
should  exultingly  charge  me  with  an  error  committed  in   your 
lavor,  and  by  which  you  were  (as  far  as  a  man  in  your  situation 
^T  u  rJ  .^V^!^  ^'■^"^  disgrace,  is  a  degree  of  turpitude  of 
Which  I  had  before  no  conception.  O.  H.  P. 


■I 


m' 


'I 


The  foregoing  documents  were  published  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  relations  of  the  late  Commodore 
Perry.  It  is  with  regret  they  find  that  the  publication 
has  led  to  a  controversy  in  which  they  would  not  will- 
ingly have  engaged ;  believing  as  they  do,  that  the 
reputation  of  Commodore  Perry  in  the  estimation  of 
the  Government  and  the  nation  is  too  well  established 
to  require  any  defence. 

Capt.  Elliott  having  however  asserted  in  a  newspaper 
publication,  that  he  had  in  his  "  possession  the  evidences 
necessary  to  destroy  the  object  of  this  attack,  and  that 
he  had  prepared  the  materials  to  justify  the  rank  which 
had  been  confe  :red  on  him,  and  which  he  only  withheld 
from  publication  from  motives  of  forbearance,"  I  con- 
sidered it  my  duty  publicly  to  call  on  Capt.  Elliott  to 
exhibit  the  documents  on  which  he  relied  for  his  justi- 
fication against  the  charges  in  the  publication  to  which 
Commodore  Perry's  name  was  attached. 

Capt.  Elliott  has  published  those  "  evidences;"  and 
I  now  in  conformity  with  my  pledge,  and  discharging 
the  duty  which  I  owe  to  the  memory  of  my  brother,  lay 
before  the  public  the  following  additional  documents, 
which  (with  the  exception  of  Lieut.  D.  Forest's  letter) 
have  been  copied  from  the  Original  affidavits  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Committee  appointed  by  the  Legislature 
of  Rhode  Island  to  collect  documents  relative  to  the 
action  on  Lake  Erie  between  the  American  and  British 
flelts. 

MATTHEW  C.  PERRY. 

New  York,  April  6th,  182L 


•  I 


25 

Copy  oftU  AffiMt  of  Luut.  Thomas  HoUup  SUvem,  Commanding 
Umud  States  Sloop  Trippe.  in  tie  aetion  of  the  lOth  Sept.  1813 

„  ■,^''^1"'®  American  squadron  had  approached  the  enemv 
withm  about  a  m.le,  and  the  enemy  had  commenced  S 
he  signal  was  made  by  Com.  Perry^o  "~  TL  S 
ZlJ.'<i  ""'  «f«"«'  A"  opponent  in  the  ute%s  hefl7 dZZ 
M(crf-    agreeable  to  this  signal,  the  situation  of  the  Niara™ 

Si'  cabTe'sTenAl^'-l^h"'  f'  *^"^«"  CharloUe,  and^'lTh  n 
na  I  a  cable  s  length.    The  Lawrence  went  gallantlv  into  cIosr 

Tu'ner- tt  tLTP''  "'^  ^""""5''  ^^  the^Caled?n/a    l1  ut! 
1  urner ,  but  the  Niagara  continued  to  hug  the   wind    and  re- 

theTcUoi;  ,'m  a7'"°"  '^'  "''"  "'^"'  «"^«  commencementTf 
n^  her     Th±        u°'"'"'^  P'^''""'  '°  Com.  Perry's  board- 
ing her.    There  could  not  be  any  rational  object  in  the  Nia- 
gara's keepmg  at  long  shot  with  the  ttueen  Charlotte    as  the 
amount  and  description   of  their  force  was  equal    and  be  ng 
principally  carronades,  no  effect  could  be  made   by  ther^  af 
he  distance  Capt.  Elliott  kept  his  ship.     From  the  numbed  of 
light  sails  the  Niagara  had,   and  there  being  a  leadingwind 
Capt.  Elliott  might  at  any  period  of  the  action  have  closfd  with 
the  enemy,  anu  relieved-  the  Lawrence  from  the  dreadful  and 
destructive  fire  kept  up  upon  her  from  the  united  forces  of  the 
Detroit  and  Queen  Charlotte.  *"* 

It  was  the  general  opinion  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the 

f?  "wT'  l^^'  ^'P'"'"  ^'"°"  ^'^  "»'  do  his  duty  in  the  action  of 
the  lOthof  Sept.;  and  that  had  he  been  impelled  by  a  be- 
coming  bravery,   he   would  have  made  greater   exertions  to 

prolcfdTnXfl''r-  P"'  '"  ""^  fight.  ^Great  irrftationws 
l^„„»/?  1^  !■  P"' '"  «onseqnen  ;e  of  it,  and  this  opinion  con- 
tinued to  be  freely  expressed  till  it  was  made  known  that  Com 

screen  Cant  Fllln»V  ^"^'u'™  ^"^  "="!"  ^^  '^°"'-  ^^"y  "> 
L^^  ^  p.  I  V  ^'°'^  '''^  injurious  impressions  made  by 
his  conduct:  but  the  volunteers  in  the  fleei  did  not  pay  the 

fLTI  Vn^*"  ''"'"S  ""'nessed  the  conduct  of  Captain 
specTng^hll'""  "P"^"°"  '"  "•"'  '""''"S'  ="«»  "P'"-"'  '-- 

It  was  a  received  opinion  in  the  fleet,  that  previous  to   Com- 
raodore  Perry's  going  on  board  the  Niagara,  she  had  buV  one 
man  wounded,  and  that  her  opponent.  The  Queen  CharloUe 
from   he  account  of  the  British  officers  had  suffered  but  very 
mottrrrr"°  ^"'"^ '"^'^"^  '"  <='°^«  ««'»"  "i'h  Com^ 

When  the  action  closed,  Captain  Elliott  was  on  board  fh.-. 
homers,  and  the   accounts  from  that  vessel  were  very  unfa- 


26 

vorable  to  Capt.  Elliott's  bravery,  as  it  was  reported  he  beat 
the  Captain  of  the  gun  very  severely  with  a  speaking  trumpet, 
for  having  laughed  at  his  dodging  a  shot  which  passe  over  him 
from  the  enemy. 

Signed,  THOS.  HOLDUP  STEVENS. 


11 " 


m 


Washington,  Jan.  29th,  1821. 
Sir, — To  bear  testimony  against  the  character  of  a  brother 
officer,  is  no  pleasing  task  ;  but  there  is  a  paramount  obligation 
that  we  all  owe  to  our  country,  which  cannot  be  overlooked 
but  with  the  implication  of  personal  honor,  and  to  the  suprema- 
cy of  which  all  private  friendship  and  personal  respect  must  be 
compelled  to  bow. 

Uninfluenced  by  other  motives,  I  do   now  most   willingly, 
(but  with   regret  for  the   occasion)  offer  my  testimony  with  re- 
gard to  the  conduct  of  Captain  Jesse   D.  Elliott,  on  the  10th 
day  of  September,  1813,  during  the   action   with  the  enemy's 
squadron  on   Lake  Erie.     I  was   the  second  Lieutenant  of  the 
brig  Lawrence,  Com.  Perry's  flag  vessel,  at  the   time   and   on 
the  occasion  alluded  to. — I  was  the  officer  of  the   watch  at  the 
moment  the  enemy  was   first  seen  on   that  day,  and  reported 
them  to  Com.  Perry,  when  our  squadron  immediately  got  un- 
der weigh   and   worked  out  of  the   bay — after  we  got  out,  the 
wind  changed  in  our  favor,  and  we  run  down  to  meet  the  ene- 
my,    j^fter  the  commencement  of  the  action.  Captain   Elliott, 
in  the  Niagara,   instead  of  keeping   on   with  us,  and  engaging^ 
his  opponent  as  directed,  put  his   helm  down  and   sheered  to 
windward  of  the  Lawrence,  leaving  the   Lawrence  exposed  to 
the  fire  of  the  enemy's   two  largest  vessels.     Some  time   after 
the  Lawrence  had  been  in  close  action,  and   much    cut  up,  I 
said  to  Com.  Perry,  "'  that  brig  (meaning  the   Niagara)  will  not 
help  us;  see  how  he  keeps  off;  he  will  not  come   to  close  ac- 
tion."— "   I'll  fetch  him   up,"  said  Commodore  Perry  ;  and  im- 
mediately ordered  his  boat.     As  he  left  the   Lawrence,  he  said, 
"  If  a  victory  is  to  gained,  I'll   gain  it."     As  soon  as  he  got 
on  board  the    Niagara,  she  bore  up  and   run  down,  and   in  a 
short  time   was   in  close  action  between   two  of  the  enemy's 
largest  vessels.     I  was  on  deck  from   day-light   till  after  the 
battle  was  over;  and  I  believed  at  the  time,  and  do  still  most 
solemnly  believe,  that  Captain  Jesse   D.  Elliott  was  influenced 
either  by  cowardice,  and  fear  prevented  him  from  closing  with 
the  enemy,  or  that  he  wished  to  sacrifice  the  Lawrence,  and 
the  claim  the  victory  for  himself. 
It  was  my  firm  belief,  at  the  time  Com.  Perry  was  making 


;.,,, 


V 

1 

c 

t 


h 


27 

out  of  his  report  of  the  action,  and  I  believe  other  officers  were 
ot  the  same  opinion,  that  Com.  Perry  endeavored  so  to  word 
It,  as  to  screen  Capt.  Elliott  as  much  as  he  could,  and  that  this 
was  done  solely  from  feelings  of  benevolence. 

Respectfully,  &c. 

DULANY  FORREST,  U.  S.  N. 


Copy  of  the  Affidavit  of  Lieut.    Stephen    Champlin,  commanding 
U.  S.  Schooner  Scorpion,  in  the  battle  of  the  lOth  Sept.  1813. 

In  the  action  of  the  10th  of  Sept.  1813,  between  the  Ameri- 
can sqiiadron,   commanded    by  Com.    Perry,  and  the   British, 
under  Com.    Barclay,   on  Lake  Erie,  when    we    were    within 
the  distance  of  a  mile   from  the  enemy,  who  had  commenced 
tiring,    the  signal  was  made  by  Commodore  Perry,  "  engage  as 
you  come    up,    every  one  against  his    opponent,    in  the    line    be- 
Jore  designated.''      The   situation    of  the  Niagara  should  have 
been  abreast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  of  course  as  near  as 
she  could  get,  as  previous  to  the  action  I  had    always  under- 
stood from   Com.   Perry  that  it  was  his  intention  to   bring  the 
enemy  s  fleet  to  close  action  in  case  of  a  conflict.     The  Law- 
rence went  into  close  action  in  the  most  gallant  style,  followed 
by  the  Caledonia  imder  the  command  of  Lieutenant  D.  Turner, 
who  kept  her  in  her  station,  agreeably  to  signals.     The  Queen 
Charlotte    made  saii   and   closed   up  with   the  Detroit  shortly 
after  the  action  commenced,  and  directed  her  fire  at  the  Law- 
rence.    The    Niagara  still   continued  to  remain  a   long  way 
astern,  and  firing  at  long  shot;  a  short  time  before  Commodore 
Perry  s  going  on  board  of  her,  she  ranged  ahead  of  the   Law- 
rence and  to  windward  of  her,  bringing  the  Commodore's  ship 
between  her  and   the  enemy,  when  she  might  have   passed  to 
leeward  and  relieved  the  Lawrence  from   their  destructive  fire. 
Ihe  wind  being  at  that  time  S.  E.  and  the  American  squadron 
steering  large,  (with  the  exception  of  the  Lawrence,  she  being 
at  that  time  entirely  disabled  and  lying  like  a  log  upon  the 
water.)  the  Caledonia  took  and   maintained  her  station  in  the 
line,  which  was  just  astern  of  the  Commodore  during  the  whole 
ot  the  action.     It  was   the  opinion  of  the   officers  and  men  of 
the  squadron  that  Captain   Elliott  did  not  do  his  duty  in  the 
action  on  that  day,  and    that  had  his  conduct  been  that  of  a 
brave  man,  there  is  no  possible  reason  tliat  can  be  given  why 
his  vessel  should  not  have  been  brought  into  close  action  with 


28 

th6  British  squadron,  before  Commodre  Perry  went  on  board  of 
her. 

Great  indignation  was  expressed  by  the  officers  in  general 
at  the  base  conduct  of  Capt.  Elliott  in  neglecting  to  support 
the  Lawrence  as  he  ought  to  have  done.  But  understanding 
that  the  Commodore  desired  to  screen  him,  they  forbore  to 
make  any  remarks  publicly  upon  his  conduct.  The  volunteers 
in  the  fleet,  however,  not  being  actuated  by  the  same  motives 
which  induced  those  under  Com.  Perry's  command  to  remain 
silent,  expressed  their  feelings  without  any  reserve  whatever. 
At  the  close  of  the  action,  Capt.  Elliott  was  on  board  of  the 
Somers,  and  behaved  (as  was  reported  by  the  officers  and  crew 
of  that  vessel)  in  a  manner  totally  unbecoming  an  officer,  by 
beating  the  Captain  of  the  gun  severely  with  a  speaking  trum- 
pet for  his  laughing  while  he,  Capt.  Elliott,  dodged  a  shot. 

On  or  about  the  1st  of  October,  1813,  while  commanding 
the  U.  S.  Schooner  Scorpion,  on  Lake  St.  Clair,  Capt.  Elliott 
came  on  board  :  in  the  course  of  conversation  the  battle  of 
Lake  Erie  being  introduced,  he  observed,  "  that  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  Lawrence,  including  Com.  Perry,  were  by  no 
means  entitled  to  prize  money;  and  still  further,  that  the 
other  officers  and  men  of  the  squadron  were  even  entitled  to 
prize  money  for  her,  she  being  a  recaptured  vessel."  He  also 
observed,  that  in  the  action  he  was  so  far  from  the  enemy  that 
he  only  fired  his  12  pounders  during  two  hours  and  a  half;  the 
reason  he  assigned  was,  that  he  had  no  signal  from  the  Com- 
modore to  change  his  situation:  complained  much  of  Commo- 
dore Perry's  injustice  towards  him,  and  said,  "  He  only  regret- 
ted that  he  had  not  sacrificed  the  fleet  when  it  was  in  his  power  to 
have  done  so,  on  that  account."  He  also  expressed  sentiments  to 
that  effect  frequently  afterwards  at  Buffalo,  as  I  was  informed 
by  tne  citizens,  and  Midshipman  Senatt,  who  was  present  when 
the  observations  were  made. 

(Signed)  STEPHEN  CHAMPLIN. 


•o' 


V  * 


.i  . 


Copy  of  an  Affidavit  of  Thomas  Breese,  Esq.  Purser  U.  S.  JV. 
who  was  stationed  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Lawrence  during 
the  action  of  the  10th  of  Sept.  1813. 

On  the  10th  of  Sept.  1813,  the  action  on  Lake  Erie  com- 
menced by  a  firing  from  the  enemy's  flag-ship,  on  the  Law- 
rciice,  about  the  distance  of  a  mile.  The  signal  was  pre- 
viously made  by  Commodore  Perry,  for  our  vessels  to   engage  as 


<H 


29 


.i  . 


they  came  up,  each  against  his  opponent  in  the  British  line,  de- 
signated  by  the  order   of  battle,   which   made  the   ship  Queen 
Charlotte  the  antagonist  of  the  Niagara,  commanded  by  Capt 
ii-lliott ;  It  bemg  understood  by  the  Commanders  of  the  Ameri- 
can vessels,  that  it  was   the  intention  of  Commodore  Perry  to 
Drmg  the   enemy  to  close   action  as  soon  as  possible.      The 
Lawrence  immediately  closed  with  the  Detroit,  and  her  ex- 
ample was  gallantly  followed  by  the  Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Tur- 
ner, the  Scorpion,  and  Ariel.     Shortly  after  the  commencement 
ot  the  battle,  the  enemy's  ship,  Queen  Chariotte,  made  sail 
and   passed   ahead  of  the   opponent  of  the   Caledonia,   and 
opened  a  destructive  fire  on  the  Lawrence,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Detroit;  but   the  Niagara,   from  some  mysterious  cause, 
remained  in  the  position  she  held  at  the  commencement  of  the 
action.      The  conduct  of  Captain  Elliott,  in  thus  keeping  his 
vessel  out  of  close  action,  was  evidently  the  cause  of  the  great 
length  of  time  the  action  lasted,  and   made  the  result,   for  a 
time,  doubtful.     When  the  Niagara  passed  to  windward  of  the 
Lawrence,  she  appeared  to  have  sustained  little  or   no  injury. 
After  the  action  closed,  the  censure  on  the  behavior  of  Captain 
Llliott  was  general  and  severe,  not  only  by  the  officers  of  the 
Lawrence,    but  those  of  the   small  vessels  ;  so  much  so,  that 
the  officers  did  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  Capt.  Elliott  must  have 
been  actuated  by  cowardly  or  ambitious  motives,  until  it  was 
made  known,  through  Lieut.  Turner,  that  it  was  the   wish   of 
Commodore  Perry  to  suppress  any  reports  prejudicial  to  Capt. 
Llhott.       In  conversation  with  some  of  the   British   officers, 
some  time  after  the  action,  I  heard  them  give  as  a  reason  for 
the  Queen  Charlotte's  changing   her   position  and  firing  upon 
the  Lawrence,  was  in  consequence   of  the  Niagara,  Captain 
Elliott,  being  at  so  great  u  distance,  that  the  short  guns  of  their 
vessels  could  not  be  used  with  efl'ect.     It  was  reported,  that 
Captain  Elliott,  at  the  close  of  the  action,  behaved  in  an  unofii- 
cer-hke  manner  on   board  the  schooner  Somers,  by  beating  a 
Captain  of  a  gun  with  a  trumpet,  for  laughing  as  he  dodged  a 
shot  which   passed  over  him  from  the  enemy.     It  was  the  re- 
ceived opinion  in  the  fleet,  that  the  Niagara  had  but  one  or  two 
men  wounded,  on  board  of  her,  when   Commodore  Perry  took 
the  command,  and  that  she  had  sustained  but  slight  injury  pre- 
vious to  that  time.     I  frequently  heard,  after  Commodore  Per- 
ry left  the  station,  that  Captain  Elliott,  then  in  command,  had 
circulated  reports,  among   the  citizens  as  well  as  officers,  re- 
specting the  conduct  of  Commodore  Perry  immediately  after 
he  got  on  board   the  Niagara,  which  were  calculated  to  injure 
Commodore  Perry,  and  were  honorable  to  himself 

Signed,  THOS.  BREESE. 


30 


. 


Copy  of  the  Affidavit  of  Captain  Thoinas  Brownelf,  Sailing  Mas- 
ter  of  the  United  States  Schooner  Jiriel,  in  the  action  of  the  \Qth 
September  1813. 

In  the  action  on  the  10th  of  September,  1813,  between  the  Ameri- 
can squadron,  commanded  by  Commodore  Perry,  and  the  British  un- 
der Commodore  Barclay,  on  Lake  Erie,  when  we  were  about  a  mile 
distant  from  the  enemy  he  commenced  firinjr.  The  signal  was 
made  by  Commodore  Perry,  ^'Engage  as  you\ome  up,  each  vessel 
against  her  opponent,  as  previously  designated.'  The  situation  of  ihe 
Niagara  should  have  been  abreast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and  as  near 
as  she  could  get ;  as,  previous  to  the  action,  I  had  always  understood 
that  It  was  Commodore  Perry's  intention  to  bring  the  enemy  to  close 
quarters  as  soon  as  possible  in  case  of  an  action. 

The  Lawrence  went  gallantly  into  close  action,  but  the  Niagara  con- 
tinued to  keep  at  a  much  greater  distance  astern  than  when  the  action 
commenced. 

The  Queen  Charlotte  made  sail  soon  after  the  action  began  and 
closed  with  the   Detroit,  for   the  purpose  of  di-ectino-   her  fire   at  the 
Lawrence  in  conjunction  with  the  Detroit.     The  Nragara   by  backing 
her  maintop  sail  and  brailing  up  her  jib,  was   not  enabled  to  fire  but  at 
long  shots,  with  her  bow  guns,  for  a  long  time   Curing  the  action      A 
few  minutes  before  Commodore  Perry  went  on  bourd  the  Niagara  «=he 
ranged  ahead  of  the  Lawrence  and  to  windward  of  her,  bringing  the 
Commodore's  ship  between  her  and  the  enemy,  when  it  vvas  in  Captain 
Elliott's  power   to  have  passed  to  leeward  and  relieved  the  Lawrence 
from  the   destructive   fire  of  the   Detroit   and   Oueen   Charlotte    the 
wind  being  at  that  time  S.  E.  and   the   Americ:.:i   squadron  steering 
large,  witli  the  exception  of  the  Lawrence,  she   being  at  that  time  en- 
tirely  disabled  and  unmanageable.     It   was  the  opinion  of  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  squadron,  that  Captain  Elliott  did  not  do  his  duty  on 
the  10th  of  September,  and  that,  had  his  conduct  been  that  of  a  brave 
man,  there  is  no  possible  reason  that  can  be  given   why  his  vessel  was 
not  brought  into  close  action   with  the   British  squadron   long  before 
Commodore  Perry  went  on  board  of  her,  she  being  equal  in  point  of 
sailing  with  the  Lawrence.     Great   indignation   was  expressed   by  the 
officers  in  general  at  the  base  conduct  of  Captain  Elliott  in  neglecting 
to  support  the  Lawrence  ;  but  understanding  from  Lieutenant  Turner 
that  Commodore  Perry  wished  to  screen  Captain  Elliott,  we  forebore 
to  make  any  remarks  pub.iely  on  his  conduct.     The  Volunteers   how- 
ever, not  being  actuated  by  the  same  motives  that  induced  those  under 
the  command  of  Commodcre   Perry  to  remain  silent,  expressed  their 
feelings  without  any  reserve  whatever.     At  the  rlose  of  the   action 
Captain  Elliott  was  on  board  of  the  schooner  Somers,  and  behaved   as 
I  am  told  by  the  oificers  of  that  vessel,  in  a  manner  altoaether  unbe- 
coming an  officer,  by  beating   a  Captain  of  a   gun   severely   with  a 
speaking  trumpet  for  laughing   when  he   (Captain  Elliott)  dodged  a 
shot.  *= 


..ii) 


0"^ 


31 

He  also   arrested  the  commanding  officer  of  that  vessel  (Sailinff 
Master  Almy)  for  intoxication,  and  I  have  frequently  been  informed 
by  the  officers  and  men  of  that  vessel,  that  he  was  in  a  perfect  state  of 
sobriety,  and  did  every  thing  that  a  brave  man  could   do  to  destroy  the 
enemy.     I  was  ordered  to  that  veshcl  a  few  hours  after  the  action  and 
found  him  perfectly  sober,  but  his  feelings  mucn  wounded  by  Captain 
Elliott's  false  report.     I  was  fold  by  Lieutenant  Champlin  and  others 
that  Captain  Elliott  ^uid  he  regretted  he  did  not  sacrifice  the  American 
fleet,  and  that  it  was  decidedly  in  his  power  to  have  done  so.     Captain 
Elliott  applied  to  me  for  a  certificate  of  his  conduct  in  that  action  •  I 
told  him  [  could  not  say  any  thing  in  his  favor,  and  that  I  stood  ready 
at  any  time  to   give   my  sentiments  before  a  Court  of  Investigation 
After  the  action,  I  was  on  board  the  Caledonia,  when  Captain  Bignall 
oj  the  British  Navy  remarked,  that  had  Captain  Elliott  belonged  to  the 
British  Navv,  he  would  have  been  hanged. 

Mr.  Magrath,  who  signed  a   letter  prejudicial  to   the  character  of 
Captain  Perry,  told  me,  he  would  sacrifice  his  right  arm  if  he  could 
withdraw  his  name  from  that  paper. 
(Signed) 

THOMAS  BROWNELL. 


*!l     ' 


..1     ) 


Copij  of  the  Affidavit  of  Lieutenant  William  V.  Taylor,  Sailino- 
Master  of  the  U.  S.  brig  Lawrence,  in  the  action  of  the  \Qth  of  Sept. 
1813. 

I  am  requested  to  siate  such  Ir.cts  as  came  within  my  knowledge  re- 
lating to  the  battle  on  Lake  Erie  on  the  10th  of  September  1813  at 
which  time  I  was  Sailing  Master  on  board  the  Lawrence.  Our  squad- 
ron was  then  laying  in  Put-in-Bay,  with  some  small  islands,  of  vvhich 
Snake  Island  was  tne  chief,  to  the  leeward.  At  day  li^rht  the  enemy's 
squadron  was  discovervxl  in  the  N.  W.  from  the  nTast  head  of  the 
Lavyrence;  when  Cc.amodore  Perry  immediately  ordered  the  signal 
made  to  get  under  ^v-eigh.  After  we  had  got  under  weigh,  he  asked 
nie,  if  I  thought  we  should  be  able  to  work  out  to  windward  of  the 
islands  m  tune  to  gain  the  weather  gage  of  the  enemy.  I  replied 
that  I  did  not  think  wo  could,  the  wind  then  being  at  S.  W.  and  Uht' 
The  Commodore  then  said  he  would  wear  ship,  and  go  to  leeward  of 
the  islands,  as  ho  was  determined  to  bring  the  enemy  to  battle  that  day 
even  if  he  gave  them  the  weather  gage.  The  wind,  however,  at  this 
time  hauled  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  and  enabled  us  to  clear 
the  islands,  and  keep  tlie  weather  gage.  At  10  A.  M.  the  enemy  de- 
spairing of  gaining  the  wind,  hove  to  in  line,  with  their  heads  to  the 
westward,  at  about  three  leagues  distance  ;  the  wind  then  about  S.  E. 

Q..L  L -.^  nc  sigiiai    to  piCfKiri;  iur  action  was  made  from 

the  La.wrence,  at  a  quarter   before  meridian.     The  enemy's  flag  ship 
fired  a  single  shot  at  the  Lawrence.     Signal  tvas  made  for  each  vessel 


32 

to  engage  her  opponent,  as  designated  in  previous  orders ;  which  made 
the  Lawrence  opposed  to  the  enemy's  new  ship  Detroit,  and  the  Nia- 
gara to  the   Clueen   Charlotte.     Commodore  Perry   then   ordered  the 
word  passed  by  trumpet,   through   Captain  Elliott,  for  the  American 
squadron  to   close    up,    as  before  prescribed,  which  was  at  half  cable's 
length  distance.     At  meridian,  finding  the  enemy  within  reach  of  our 
carronades,  opened   our  fire,  and  continued  nearing  them  until  within 
cannister  range,  and  were  gallantly  supported  by  the  Caledonia,  Lieu- 
tenant  Turner,  and  by  the  Ariel  and  Scorpion,   both  on  our  weather 
bow.     Shortly  after  the  action  commenced,  I  observed  the  Nia^^ara  to 
be  a  considerable  distance  astern,  with  her  main  topsail  to   the  mast 
and  her  jib  brailed  up  :  and  I  am  strongly  impressed  with   the   belief 
that  her  top  gallant  sails  were  never  set  until  Commodore  Perry  went  on 
board  of  her,  after  the  Lawrence  had  been  disabled.     Once  or  twice 
during  the  engagement  I   asked  Captain  Perry  if  he  observed  the  con- 
duct of  that  ship,    and   the  different  conduct  of  the  Caledonia.     The 
enemy's  ship,  Queen  Charlotte,  taking  advantage  of  the  great  distance 
at  which  the  Niagara  kept  herself,  closed  with  the  Detroit,  and  opened 
her  fire  in  concert  with  that  ship  upon  the  Lawrence,  which  proved  so 
destructive  that,  by  half  past  one   o'clock,  P.  M.  we  were  completely 
disabled,  and  our  decks  covered  with  killed  and  wounded  :  but  the  an- 
imating exertions  of  Captain  Perry  kept  alive   the  spirits  of  the  small 
remnant  of  our  crew,  and  the  action  was  continued  until  only  one  gun 
could    be  fired,  at  which  Captain  Perry  assisted  himself.     He  then  de- 
termined to  quit  the  Lawrence,    and   take  command  of  the  'Niagara 
which  ship  he  observed  did    not   appear  to  be  much  injured.     The 
American  flag,  he  said,  should  not  be  hauled  down  from  over  his  head 
on  that  day.     At  the  time  of  Captain  Perry's  leaving  the   Lawrence 
the  Niagara  was  passing  our  larboard  beam,  at   from  a  quarter  to  half 
a  mile's  distance  ;  leaving   the   Lawrence   between    that   ship  and  the 
enemy.     The  Caledonia  at  the  same  time  passing  our  starboard  beam 
and  between  us  and  the  enemy.     I  anxiously  watched  the  course  of 
our  noble  commander,  after  he  left  the  Lawrence  for  the  Niagara 
The  enemy  had  discovered  his  design,   and  directed   their  fire  at  the 
boat  he  was  in.     He  however  remained  standing  up  in  her  stern,  until 
the  entreaties  of  the  men   prevailed  upon  him   to  sit  down.     I  learnt 
afterwards,  that  they  had  implored   him  with  tears  not  to  expose  him- 
self as  a   mark  for  the  enemy's  fire;    and  finally  declared,  that  they 
would  lay  on  their  oars,  unless  he  sat  down.     It  was  a  considerable 
time,  With  all  the  exertions  of  the  boats's  crew,  before  Captain  Perry 
could  come  up  with  the  Niagara.     When  he  did  get  on  board  that  ship, 
he  immediately  brought  her  into  action  ;    and  passing  through  the  ene- 
my s  squadron,  poured  into  them  a  tremendous  fire  from  both  sides. 
In  a  few  minutes,  the  enemy's  vessels  surrendered  to  him,  and  struck 
their  colors,  except  two  small  vessels,  which  attempted   to   escape,  but 
were  pursued  and  captured. 

I  had  assisted  in  the  equipment  of  the  Niagara,  as  well  as  the  Law- 
rence. 1  hejormer  ship  was  in  all  respects  fully  equal  to  the  latter,  in 
size— m  nuuiuer,  weight,  and  description  of  guns— in  rigging  and 
equipment,  and  in  point  of  sailing.    Before  Captain  Elliott  arrived  on 


. .} 


L 


33 


^■? 


Lake  Erie,  the  Niagara  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Turner,  and 
the  squadron   had    already  been  out  one   cruise,  manned  chiefly 'with 
volunteer  militia.     Captain    Elliott  brought  up  with  him  from  Ontario 
from  90  to  100  prime  men  ;  the  chief  part  of  which  he  took  on  board 
the  Niagara,  which  ship  was  much  better  manned  than  the  Lawrence; 
a  great  proportion  of  whose  crew  was  on  the  sick  list,  and  most  of  the 
remainder  not  elFectivc  men;  consisting  chiefly  of  volunteer  militia  of 
all  descriptions,  and  exhausted   by  previous  exertions.     I  was  on  board 
the  Niagara,   when   Captain  Elliott  took  command  of  her,  and  when 
that  part  of  her  crew  which  came  from  the  Ontario  first  came  on  board, 
and  I  observed  that  as   they  came  alongside  in  their  boats,  he  called' 
out  from  among  them  the  men  previously  designated  for  the  diff'erent 
posts  and  stations  about  the  ship  and  tops  ;    so  that  it  appeared  that  his 
men  were  already   selected.     This  occasioned  my  observing  to  Com- 
modore Perry,  that  the  different  vessels  of  tiie  squadron  were  very  un- 
equally manned,  in  consequence  of  so   great  a   proportion  of  the  ef- 
fective men  being  engrossed  by  the  Niagara  alone.     He  did  not  think 
proper,  however,  to   make  any  alteration.     All   necessary  orders  pre- 
vious to  the  engagement  were  distinctly  given  in  writing,  and  put  into 
the  haiids  of  each    commander  ;   and   the   last   words  "of  Commodore 
Perry,  to  all  the  officers  assembled  on  the  eve  of  the  battle,  (as  was  re- 
lated to  me  at  th(t    time)    were,   that  he  could  not  advise  them  better 
than  in  the  words  of  Lord  Nelson—"  If  you  lay  your  mcmy  altnurside, 
tjou  cannot  he  out  of  your  jjlacc"     After   the'  firing  had  commenced 
on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  at   about  a  mile's  distance,  Commodore  Per- 
ry gave  an  order  by  irurripet  for   the  vessels  astern  to  close  up  in  the 
line.      T/tc  Niagara  was  then  near  enough  to   the  Lawrence   to  receive 
and  pass  this  order.     I  do  not  think  she  was,  during  the  cnfrao-ement 
much  nearer  to  the  enemy  than  she  then  was,   until  brought  Into  ac- 
tion by  Commodore  Perry.     It  was  generally  understood,  that  one  or 
two  only  of  her  men  had  then  been  wounded.     If  it  had    been  the  de- 
sire of  the  commander  of  the  Niagara    to  have  joined  in   the  action 
and  engaged  the  Queen  Charlotte,  as  ordered,    I   know  of  no  cause 
which  could  have   prevented    his  so  doing.      The  wind,    though    litrht, 
was  favorable ,  and  there  was  as  much  of  it  for  the  Niagara  as  for  the 
Lawrence.     It  was   the  general  opinion  of  the  officers  after  the  battle 
that  had  the   Niagara  followed  the  example  of  the  Lawrence,  the  ene- 
my would   havo   been  compelled  to  surrender  in  a  much  shorter  time 
and  with  much  less  loss  on  our  side.  So  much  indignation  was  excited  by 
the  conduct  of  the  Niagara,  that  even  the  seamen   broke  out  in  open 
murmurs  :  but  Commodore  Perry  requested  the  officers  to  silence  eve- 
ry complaint  against  Captain  Elliott,  saying,  that  sufficient  honor  had 
been  gamed  for  all  ;  and    he   was   desirous  that   the   public  attention 
might  not  be  attracted  to  any  diff'erenccs   in  the  fleet.     His  official  ac- 
count, when  read  at  Erie,  gave  much  dissatisfaction  to  most  of  the  of- 
ficers.    They  thought  Captain  Elliott  too  honorably  mentioned  in  it. 
(Signed)  W.  V.  TAYLOR, 

Lieut.  U.  S.  N. 


34 

Extracts  from  the  official  Utter  of  Commodore  Barclay,  Commander  of 
the  British  fleet  on  Lake  Erie,  respecting  the  action  of  the  \Qth  Sep- 
tember, 1813,  taken  from  Niks  Weekly  Register,  vol.  Q,pp.  180,  181, 
copied  from  "  The  second  supplement  to  London  Gazette"  of  Tues- 
day, February  8th,  1814. 

"At  a  quarter  before  12  I  commenced   the  action  by  a  few  long 
guns ;  about  a  quarter  past,   the  American  Commodore,  also  support- 


4* 


ed  by  two  schooners,  one  carrying  four  long  12  pounders,  the  other  a 
long  32  and  24  pounder,  came  close  to  action  with  the  Detroit.  The 
other  brig  of  the  enemy,  apparently  destined  to  engage  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte, supported  in  like  manner  by  two  schooners,  kept  so  far  to 
windioard  as  to  render  the  Queen  Charlotte's  20  pounder  carronades 
useless." 

"  The  action  continued  with  great  fury  until  half  past  two,  when  I 
perceived  my  opponent  drop  astern,  and  a  boat  passing  from  him  to  the 
Niagara  (tohich  vessel  was,  at  this  time  perfectly  fresh.)  The  American 
Cornmodore,  seeing  that,  as  yet,  the  day  was  against  him,  (his  vessel 
having  struck  soon  after  he  left  her,)  and  also  the  very  defenceless 
state  of  the  Detroit,  which  ship  was  now  a  perfect  wreck,  principally 
from  the  raking  fire  of  the  gun  boats  ;  and  also,  that  the  Queen  Char- 
lotte was  in  such  a  situation  that  J  couk'  receive  very  little  assistance 
from  her,  and  the  Lady  Provost  being,  at  this  time,  too  far  to  leeward, 
from  her  rudder  being  injured,  made  a  noble  and,  alas  !  too  successful 
a'-,  effort  to  regain  it,  for  he  bore  up,  and,  supported  by  his  small  ves- 
sels, passed  within  pistol  shot,  and  took  a  raking  position  on  our  bow." 


^ 


if 


<0 


v 


35 


n' 


<% 


'^ 


There  are  many  other  documents  in  corroboration  of  the  pre- 
ceding charges  within  the  control  of  the  relations  of  the  late 
Commodore  Perry,  but  they  have  concluded  to  publish  only  the 
evidence  of  those  Officers  who  are,  at  present,  living  and  in 
the  United  States  ;  and,  in  adherence  to  this  determination,  the 
evidence  of  Lieutenants  Packett  and  Yarnall,  (deceased,) 
one  commanding  the  schooner  Ariel,  the  other  1st  Lieutenant 
of  the  Lawrence,  have  been  withheld. 


f 


In  regard  to  the  evidences  adduced  by  Capt.  Elliott,  it  may 
not  be  improper  to  state,  that  Lieutenants  Smith  and  Edwards, 
and  Purser  Magrath,  are  deceased ;  Lieutenant  Conklin  and 
Mr.  S.  Wardwell  Adams,  are  no  longer  in  the  Navy.  There 
was  no  officer,  in  the  American  fleet,  by  the  name  of  W. 
NichoUs. 


I 


<p 


36 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Officers,  and  where  sta- 
tioned, whose  testimony  is  published  in  the  preceding 
pages. 

Lieut.  Com.  Daniel  Turner,  cpmmanding  U.  S.  schr. 
Nonsuch,  New  Orleans  station. 

Lieut.  Thomas  Holdup  Stevens,  New  York  station. 

Lieut.  Dulany  Forrest,  Navy  Yard,  Washington. 

Lieut.  Wm.  V.  Taylor,  Newport  station. 

Lieut.  Stephen  Champlin,  Newport  station. 

Thomas  Breese,  Esq.  Purser  U.  S.  frigate  Constitu- 
tion. 

Dr.  Usher  Parsons,  Boston  station. 

Cap<,.  77/05.  Brownell,  commanding  a  merchant  ves- 
sel out  of  Bristol,  Rhode  Island. 


M. 


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t' 


•  ♦■£ 


